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FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
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INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SEOUL 000234 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OES/S FOR N.CARTER-FOSTER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON SOCI UNDP UNGA KS
SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON DISTRACTED DRIVING 
 
REF: STATE 06703 
 
¶1. Post delivered the demarche in Reftel to the Korean 
Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs According on 
February 3.  Ministry officials agreed that texting while 
driving, talking on cell phones while driving, and watching 
television while driving are serious problems in the Republic 
of Korea (ROK).  In response to our request for information, 
the Ministry provided data on the legal context, public 
awareness and education, research and studies and statistical 
data on accidents, injuries, and fatalities related to 
distracted driving. 
 
Legal Context 
------------- 
¶2. No law or regulation specifically bans texting while 
driving in Korea.  However, Provision 10 of Article 49 of the 
Road Traffic Act restricts the use of cell phones (including 
texting) while driving.  An unofficial English translation of 
Provision 10 follows: 
 
BEGIN TRANSLATION: No drivershall use a cell phone while 
driving a motor vehicle. This restriction shall not apply in 
the following circumstances: 
(a) When the motor vehicle has come to a stop and is not 
moving; 
(b) When the vehicle being driven is an emergency   motor 
vehicle; 
(c) When it is necessary to report without delay 
various kinds of crimes or any accident; and 
(d) When any device prescribed by Presidential 
Decree as not impeding the safe driving of any 
motor vehicle is being used. END TRANSLATION. 
 
¶3.  In October 2009, a District Court in Seoul invalidated a 
fine that police had issued to a taxi driver who had been 
caught driving while watching television via onboard 
satellite digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB).  The fine 
was issued in accordance with a March 2008 Seoul City 
ordinance that bans the use of DMB television while operating 
a motor vehicle.  The court ruled that the Seoul ordinance 
was invalid because a 1993 national law bans the government 
from making arbitrary amendment of rules on public 
transportation services. 
 
¶4. In response to the October 2009 Seoul court ruling, 
National Assemblyman Gong Sung-jin of the ruling Grand 
National Party introduced a bill revising the Road Traffic 
Act that would ban the use of DMB television while operating 
a motor vehicle.  Under the bill's provisions, violators 
would face a fine of up to 300,000 won (USD 260).  The bill 
also mandates installation of software that would make it 
impossible for drivers to watch.  The bill is still pending 
at the National Assembly. (Note: A similar bill introduced in 
2005 was withdrawn after some National Assembly members 
claimed it would hinder Korean IT development.) 
 
Public Awareness and Education 
------------------------------ 
¶5. The ROKG has a Basic Plan for National Traffic Safety to 
enhance nationwide awareness of safe driving that includes 
awareness of the dangers of cell phone use.  Since 2007, the 
Korea National Police Agency has coordinated with other 
relevant government agencies to carry out awareness campaigns 
discouraging the use of cell phone and watching television 
while driving.  In addition to education on the dangers of 
distracted driving, the campaigns have also targeted 
pedestrian use of cell phone and portable video devices, 
especially while crossing streets. 
 
 
Accidents, Injuries and Fatalities 
---------------------------------- 
¶6. According to the Korea Road Traffic Authority, the 
following figures reflect the number of road accidents from 
2005 to 2008 resulting from using cell phones while driving: 
 
2005 - 235 accidents with 415 injuries and 6 deaths 
2006 - 192 accidents with 344 injuries and 6 deaths 
2007 - 201 accidents with 324 injuries and 3 deaths 
2008 - 200 accidents with 351 injuries and 2 deaths 
 
Research and Studies 
-------------------- 
¶7. The Traffic Science Research Center under the Korea Road 
Traffic Authority released a research paper in 2006 titled, 
"The Effects of Watching Television in Vehicle on Driver's 
Behavior".  The report states that the rapid development in 
IT technology in Korea has led to increased television 
installation in motor vehicles.  The report concluded that 
watching television while driving impairs a driver's 
 
SEOUL 00000234  002 OF 002 
 
 
cognitive and visual attention, which could result in road 
accidents. 
 
¶8. Various think tanks have conducted surveys and research 
projects to provide data to inform officials in establishing 
regulatory standards and educational programs related to the 
use of cell phones and watching television while driving.  A 
Samsung Traffic Safety Research Institute study conducted in 
2009 concluded that talking on a cell phone decreased 
drivers' concentration by about 40 percent, and that watching 
DMB television decreased drivers' concentration by about 50 
percent. 
 
Prevalence of Cell Phone and DMB Television Use 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶9. According to the Korea Communications Commission, at the 
end of 2009, cell phones were used by 47,944,222 people - 
98.4 percent of Korea's total population. 
 
¶10. According to the Korea Radio Promotion Association, more 
than 21 million DMB devices were sold in the first half of 
2009, and 6 million of them were intended for motor vehicle 
installation.  (Post note: Although the vehicular DMB devices 
are intended for passenger use in vehicles such as long 
distance buses, they are a common feature on the dashboard of 
Seoul taxis.) 
STEPHENS